Why hello there, luvs. ^_^

I do think we've reached this day and age when most people are starting to turn to organic stuff for health and humanitarian reasons. Of course, the matter of animal testing for products we h00mans would normally use is definitely more than just being "on trend." Conscientious consumption is making its way to the forefront, to the relief and delight of animal welfare-ists, and to the immense joy of beauty junkies who would rather not have innocent bunnies suffer on their behalf. In fact, most cosmetics web sites have FAQ or mission/vision sections that specifically address the "animal testing" concern.

Also, labels on the products themselves are now being more prominent enough (albeit in fonts or pictures as tiny as the ingredients and instructions print :P) that sooner or later, they'd be hard to miss. This brings me to show you some examples of brands and their products that I own and have been using that bear the "cruelty-free" emblem. Note that I'll first show the product, and beside it would be how their respective "cruelty-free" labels look like. :) (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

**FTC: I don't get paid or sponsored to feature these products. I'm just supporting these brands for the awareness they bring to their consumers. ^^**

E.L.F. (Blush and Bronzer Duo)

The Body Shop (Macadamia Straightening Balm)

Mario Badescu (Drying Cream)

Mineral Flowers (Rose & Geranium Facial Wash)

Some proudly Pinoy-made/local products:

Cyleina (Black Pearl soap)

Beach Hut (Hair and Scalp sunblock spf 20)

And here are some brands available from one of my favorite go-to stores for various cruelty-free skincare and haircare stuff: Healthy Options. :)

Alba Botanica (leave-in conditioner for color-treated hair)

Alba Botanica Acnedote (oil control lotion)

Tints of Nature (Seal & Shine leave-in conditioner)

Stuff I got online/abroad:

One With Nature Dead Sea Salt Soap

Manic Panic (in Vampire Red) and Special Effects (in Candy Apple Red) semi-permanent hair dyes

Best With Blueberries (Body Spray)

The "cruelty-free" or "against animal testing" label comes in different forms and shapes, but in basically the same size, so look for it as best as you can around the packaging. :P You can't miss it! :)

However, not all products that are against animal testing are free from animal-derived products. Some known ingredients such as beeswax still pervade in some products as emolients. On the other hand, there are products that are considered "vegan" and contain all vegetable-derived ingredients. The "vegan" label isn't as permeable yet as the "cruelty-free" one, so it's best to check the ingredients list first. ^_^ To give you more than a peak, here's a page from PETA.org that lists down animal derivatives in all their names and definitions .

I love animals, and I love makeup, and I know that I'm not the only one. ^^ We gotta settle for something no less as much as possible, right? :)

These kitties very much approve:

Look how they uh... sleep like babes (Chunyi, ya can't peek, yer supposed t' be asleep xD).

Stay tuned for another entry on cruelty-free beauty in time for Prevention of Cruelty To Animals Month. 

Lurve,

HBC: How Brilliantly Cool.

Hahaha, I kid, I kid. Needless to say, though, HBC is one of those affordable local brands that garner attention in beauty networks and forums. While their products are apparently not high end, they cater to a whole lot of hair care, body care, skin care, and make up needs of little ladies to the older ones, from your average high school girl to an experienced parlorista. 


Which brings me to my point:

This stuff is one of their more recent releases in their hair care/color line (now in case some of you are wondering, HP means "Hortaleza Professional," one of their home brands that supposedly caters to salons and those who's like at-home salon treatments... but know what they're doing. :P). The product's got a lot of "subtitles" as you can see from the photo, such as:

HAIR + PERFECTION

HENNA + KERATIN

COLOR & REPAIR

And all for a nice price of 249Php.

So, is it a sweet deal? Let's take a look! 

Now, a recent trip to the beach has stripped my once brightly-hued reddish brown hair of its color and shine. IT TURNED A GHASTLY golden-orange. What's worse, the color got stripped in different places, so I've got uneven patches of different slightly red, orange, and brown shades on me noggin. NOT A PRETTY SIGHT. Therefore, no photos of the tragedy. (Considering the wonderful beach trip, however, I do acknowledge that my hair made a worthy sacrifice. :P)

I chose the COPPER color variant in hopes to liven up my dead once-red hair. 

This is its packaging, without the sleeve thingie

Behold, ze ingredients:

It appears to have a number of good and okay stuff, save for dimethicone, which can dry hair out if  used too frequently and excessively. Another ingredient to look out for is methylparaben, but as long as it's pushed back far in the list, small amounts have been used. Well, I was not exactly expecting a  bunch of organic stuff since it isn't marketed as such, but I was pleased to see a couple of natural ingredients in it, such as henna.

Henna is a natural dye from the Henna tree, and yes, it's the same henna used in temporary tattoos that wash off in a week or so. 

Aye, this be the henna tattoo I got at ze beach. ^^

Another noteworthy ingredient this product has is keratin, a naturally occurring protein in the body that makes up hair, nails, and skin. Sad to say, keratin can be derived from animals such as SHEEP, so this is NOT a vegan product. However, the type of keratin in the Color HairSpa is Hydrolized Keratin, which isn't a potent form of keratin compared to the purest of the pure kind. 

 Okay kids, enough with the backgrounder. :P

HENNA dye doesn't look like your typical dye. It says "copper" in the label, but don't expect to peel out the foil seal and find a glob of red in the pot. Instead, expect something like....... this.........

YES I KNOW. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU-KNOW-WHAT. 

Surprisingly, it smells SO NICE. It smells of sandalwood. The mild, powdery scent of sandalwood is a good smell to me, but if you're not partial to incense-smelling stuff, then... you might not like the scent very much. 

The pot came with instructions printed on it (gah no photo...), but since I don't have the pot right now, I shall paraphrase: (1) shampoo your hair and towel dry; (2) apply evenly on hair but not too close to the scalp, (3) leave for 15-20 minutes under a shower cap or hair steamer (those helmet-looking things at the salon), and lastly (4) shampoo hair and condition.

It appears that you have to apply the stuff on damp hair. I recall that henna works that way.

SO, DID IT WORK???

Well, yes.... and no. 

Photos:

Without flash

With flash

No color has been deposited in my hair!!!!!!!! That was one disappointment for me. 

I was trying to justify that my damaged hair could no longer take in color, or "natural" dyes like henna. But oh well, look at the bright side, because THE SHINE OF MY HAIR was restored.

So one of the claims did prove to be true, at least for me. :) The photos may not justify the nice shine my hair got, after leaving my hair in a bun overnight with a bit of hair salve on. Take note it's not the doing of the hair salve altogether; my hair looked definitely shinier than before. :D

We then proceed to the:

PROS

• Smells nice
• Isn't harsh on hair  and scalp (but I do recommend a skin patch test all the same... which I didn't do D'OHHH)
• works on giving hair a nice shine (though not sure how long it'll last)
• contains natural ingredients such as henna powder
• AFFORDABLE!
• leaves hair soft as well

CONS

• No color deposit whatsoever :((((
• left an orange stain on my clothes and hands *but goes away afterwards... like the tattoo, IS NOT PERMANENT :P)
• Instructions did not specify how much henna should be dumped on the hair. In some videos I've seen, when applying henna on hair, it should look like a CLUMP OF CAKE FROSTING... and I mean a HUGE clump on your head. 
• If that's the case in all henna-based products, then one pot would not be enough for my hair

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Will I repurchase: Sadly, I'll stick to their tube dyes instead. :(

So, have any of you guys tried henna-based hair products before or lately? How did those work for you? :) 

Lurve,

Kikaytrekkie or Marge's blog, one of the beauty blogs I mainly follow hosted a giveaway for Valentines this February, and quite interested with the prizes, I decided to join the giveaway, which happens to be the first one I've entered in EVAR. :o Marge has held a couple of giveaways before, but somehow, I paid more attention to this one and actually had the perseverance to follow the giveaway's guidelines to the dot. I sent the needed details off, not really expecting to win, but excited all the same since, after all, it's the first giveaway I participated in. It's worth the shot, yes? ;)

AND YES I WON. :3

I do recall winning some minor raffles in the past, especially in my company's Christmas parties were I won a portable (but electric) stove at one time, and then a mini griller at another (it appears that the universe is telling me: "learn how to cook, woman!!!"). Yep, there's a bit of luck for me when it came to raffles and I'm still waiting for that day when I get the winning numbers in the lottery.

Lo and behold, I was one of the three winners of Marge's giveaway, and was informed about it just in time because I do check her blog regularly. Well, needless to say, I was absolutely delighted! And what's more, I got the package which I actually was eyeing on when Marge posted photos of the prizes on her blog. WHY CAN'T I HAVE THIS LUCK ALL THE TIME? ^^

Let's see some photos I took of ze prizes, hmmmm? :D

YAYZ~~~

Marge emailed me that my package contained a mirror and she was worried that I might receive it a shattered  mess. But it arrived WHOLE and well, and I was happy to duly report it to her. And yes, I did need a new mirror for my makeshift vanity. This giveaway has been kind to me, lolz!! 

What my prize package comprised of:

1. Tony Moly mirror
2. Tony Moly Backstage Self Smoky Eye Collection (an eyeliner cream/eye shadow duo/eyeliner brush set in one)
3. Nature Republic Age Slick Collagen BB Cream (sample size)
4. Tony Moly Floria sample set
5. The Face Shop soap samples
6. Maybelline Pulse Perfection mascara
7. Maybelline Fruity Jelly lip gloss
8. The Face Shop Arsaint Eco-Therapy Vitalist sample set
9. Lactacyd (pink) sample sachet
10. Garnier Oil Clear Brightening and Oil Control Scrub (2 sachets)
11. Glambox keychain

This set right here is already enough for a nice but simple look:

Of course, teh kittehz inspect the new wares!!!! 

My knucklehead direcat Duo gives an initial sniff

My princess Anya takes off after a bit of a looksee~~

Kitties everywhere! Alas, my white boy Brave can only inspect from afar (he 's still not allowed to mingle with my other kitties since he's recovering from a burn D:)

Also, it's been a week since my last post, and this post was supposed to be put up in time February ends... a bit behind schedule, but hey, getting there. :D I still have a lot in store for this li'l blog of mine (I'm gonna let is shine.... This li'l blog of mine, I'm gonna let it shine... say whaa~myblog'sburstingintosong~~)

Thanks again, Marge, for holding this giveaway! :D 

Stay tuned for reviews of some of the items I received, like maybe the Tony Moly stuff and the BB cream. :3

Lurve,